Social Care
Redefining what good looks like
Impower’s annual top 10 list is a celebration of strong council performance, and as Jon Ainger explains, many local authorities have stepped up to the challenge.
How are we going to make spending vows a reality?
As the main political parties toss around their policy promises and spending pledges, they face a huge dilemma, says Heather Jameson. Just how much are they willing to raise taxes – or devolve them – to fix this?
EXCLUSIVE: England's top 10 councils revealed
Calderdale MBC and Oxfordshire CC have clambered their way into consultancy Impower’s list of England’s most productive councils this year, The MJ can reveal.
One and a half million older people have ‘unmet care needs,’ charity warns
The number of older people with unmet care needs stands at one and a half million, a charity has said.
Report urges councils to build care homes
A new report has urged greater intervention by national and local government in the care home market.
Get rid of 'delays, deadlock and paralysis'
Continuing to stumble through this 'political Groundhog Day' has real consequences for the services that affect real people every day, says Rob Whiteman - and it’s well past time their needs came to the top of the political agenda.
Spending promises ignore the state’s changing nature
Michael Burton asks how much of the 'largesse, if any' of both of the main parties' election spending pledges might flow back into local government, which has borne the brunt of cuts in the last decade.
'Public outcry' needed to spur social care reform
A ‘public outcry’ about the state of the social care system is needed to spark the political will to find solutions, a top mandarin has said.
Stopping homelessness before it starts in Hounslow
Cllr Lily Bath outlines Hounslow LBC's preventative model for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping – and the creation of My Independence as a new joint venture between statutory homelessness services and health and social care.
Care property company pulls out of joint venture
Delays to projects has prompted a property company to pull out of a joint care home venture.
NHS study reveals ‘growing’ pressure on social care sector
Charity calls for ‘urgent solution’ to the care crisis as study reveals councils received two million new requests for adult social care support last year.
Boosting Britain needs more than a fistful of Bills
Following the Queen's Speech, Heather Jameson says that personally her glass is at least half-full. But as the Prime Minister prepares to boost Britain after we leave the EU, Government policy is looking somewhat paradoxical.
CQC: care Green Paper delay causing 'instability'
The care regulator has accused the Government of aggravating the funding pressures in adult social care by stalling on the long-awaited green paper for the sector.
Queen's speech: Social care White Paper to be published
The Government has promised to finally bring forward proposals to reform adult social care and will consult on providing councils with the power to introduce an annual 2% precept.
Deadlock broken in Isle of Wight care fees dispute
A care provider has withdrawn 12 eviction notices issued following a dispute with Isle of Wight Council.
Prepare for the 5G revolution
Local authorities are aware 5G is imminent and could have a dramatic effect on their frontline services according to a survey by The MJ and BT, as Michael Burton reports.
What might have been without the recession and Brexit
Michael Burton says the worry as the next Spending Review gets under way is that a bad or no-deal Brexit leads to another lost decade of growth and more cuts, which this time a pruned public sector is unable to withstand.
Pessimism growing due to care funding uncertainty
Health leaders have warned that under-funding of social care and public health services could leave them unable to deliver the Government’s NHS long term plan.
HEALTH MJ: Families unaware they qualify for social care payments
Many families may be eligible for direct payments for social care, but may not claim them when the need arises, said a charity.
HEALTH MJ: Addressing welfare state inequalities
Solutions to the social care funding problem are there, says Michael Burton - they just need leadership from politicians to deliver them.